Meet the ‘Wee-rex’. Tiny tyrannosaur is its own species - Nature Podcast

<h2>00:45 The debate around Nanotyrannus</h2>A hotly debated species of dinosaur, assumed by many to be a juvenile T. rex, is actually a separate species, according to new research. Nanotyrannus was a dinosaur anatomically similar to T. rex, but about a tenth of the size, leading many to argue it was a young version of the iconic species. However, examination of the limb bones of a well-preserved Nanotyrannus fossil suggests it was close to finishing its growth and so would never become as large as a T. rex, leading the authors to argue that it is, in fact, a different species. Research Article: <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09801-6" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Zanno and Napoli</a>News and Views: <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-03552-0" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">T. rex debate settled: contested fossils are smaller rival species, not juveniles</a>...